FLOYD COUNTY, Iowa - Casey Frederiksen has been charged in the 2005 murder of Evelyn Miller, 5, of Floyd. and first-degree sexual abuse, both Class A felonies

Frederiksen is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual abuse, both Class A felonies, officials from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Floyd County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday in a news conference at the Floyd Community Center. "It's a glorious afternoon," said Floyd County Sheriff Rick Lynch.

"This is the happiest day in the last seven years," Richard Christie, Evelyn's paternal grandfather, said during the news conference. "Justice will be done."

Authorities at the news conference said the official cause of Evelyn's death was sharp force injuries, including wounds to the neck. Before the news conference, the cause of her death was not disclosed. Authorities said Evelyn's body was found fully clothed, but with signs of sexual assault.

Evelyn's paternal grandmother, Linda Christie, thanked investigators for their work, including those who searched for Evelyn in 2005, and the media for keeping the case in front of the public.

Asked if she could forgive Frederiksen, Linda Christie said it was too early to forgive. "He raped and killed my granddaughter," she said.

Watch the Press Conference

The Search for Evelyn
The search for Miller began July 1, 2005, when her mother, Noel Miller, reported her daughter missing about 6:45 a.m.

After an extensive search involving hundreds of area residents, Evelyn's body was found July 6 in the Cedar River about two miles from her home. No one had previously been charged in her death, which was ruled a homicide.

Noel Miller was working overnight and left Evelyn and two younger sons with Frederiksen, her then-fiance, who told authorities he was asleep when Evelyn disappeared. He claimed Evelyn was well when he went to sleep and did not know where she was.

Later, two Charles City men -- Danny Slick and Randy Patrie -- told law enforcement that they had seen Evelyn at about 2 a.m. on the morning of her disappearance. They said Evelyn answered the door when they arrived and said she was fine when they left.

Frederiksen: "I'd never do anything to Evelyn"
In a September 2005 interview with KCRG, Casey Frederiksen and Noel Miller, Evelyn's mother, said they were frustrated with how the investigation had been going. Frederiksen said he felt like he was being targeted by investigators.

"I'd never do anything to Evelyn so I don't know why they're doing this to us. It's hard enough we can't even grieve yet because they're not giving us time to," Frederiksen told KCRG.

Frederickson said police examined his computer hard drive and that lead to rumors about the content of that hard drive. "For the past four years, we had a digital camera. So, it was all of our memories and pictures of our boys and our daughter."

WATCH: 2005 Interview with Casey Frederiksen

Frederiksen Arrested
Frederiksen pleaded guilty in 2006 to three federal child pornography charges, and received a 14-year sentence on those charges in August 2006.

"I know I done wrong, and I'm sorry for it," Frederiksen said during his sentencing hearing, adding that he was "getting help."

Frederiksen had left his computer hard drive with a neighbor the morning Evelyn disappeared. The neighbor later turned over the hard drive to authorities.

Frederiksen was also sentenced in 2009 to 10 years in prison on methamphetamine charges. He has been incarcerated in the federal penitentiary in Marion, Ill., and was anticipated to be released in 2026.

Noel Miller had lost her bid to get custody of the two young sons she had with Frederiksen, who were put in foster care shortly after Evelyn's murder. She reportedly now lives in California. In 2007, she was charged with going armed with intent, when she placed a 9-1-1 call to police, was found with a knife concealed under her sleeve. She served two days in jail on that charge

Slick, 31, was convicted to a year and one day in prison for lying to federal authorities during the Miller investigation. He was released in October 2009.